


Unprepared; or, the merits of a good jumper

by spilled_notes



Series: Mad March Prompt Challenge [4]
Category: Shetland (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-07
Updated: 2016-03-07
Packaged: 2018-05-25 08:15:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6187105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spilled_notes/pseuds/spilled_notes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For the prompt 'finding the other wearing their clothes'.  When Rhona warned Phyllis about Shetland's weather, she may have neglected to emphasise its capricious nature.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Unprepared; or, the merits of a good jumper

The first time Phyllis visits Shetland, she’s unprepared for the stark, stunning beauty of this cluster of rocks in the middle of the ocean. On the drive from the airport to Rhona’s isolated house, she can’t take her eyes off the endless, distant horizon.

‘Do you ever get used to it?’ she breathes.

Rhona glances across and smiles at her awestruck expression. ‘I’ll let you know.’

It’s Thursday night, and they have the whole weekend stretching ahead of them. And here it really will be just the two of them: no hustle and bustle, no traffic, not even any neighbours.

It’s too good to be true, of course. As they’re lounging together after a late lunch the next day, Rhona’s phone rings. Phyllis reluctantly lets her get up to answer, fingers trailing along Rhona’s arm as long as she can reach it.

‘Jimmy? This had better be important.’

Phyllis rises and follows Rhona, arms slipping around her waist. She nuzzles into Rhona’s hair, presses soft kisses down her neck. Rhona half-heartedly pushes her away with a warning glare, but can’t help pressing against her.

‘And it can’t wait until Monday? Fine, fine, I’ll come over.’

‘Trouble?’ Phyllis murmurs.

Rhona turns and kisses her. ‘I need to go in and sign some paperwork,’ she sighs.

‘It’s fine, darling.’

‘You can come into Lerwick with me if you like, have a wander?’ she offers, heading upstairs to change into a suit.

‘No, that’s alright,’ Phyllis replies, following and watching from the doorway. She resists the temptation to step closer, to draw Rhona against her. ‘I’ll be here waiting.’

Rhona’s kiss as she passes is lingering and full of promise. ‘Then I’ll hurry back,’ she smiles.

*

Rhona strides into the station to find the team gathered around the board, Jimmy talking them through the case so far and what they need to do next.

‘What do you need from me, Jimmy?’

He glances at her and nods a greeting, but keeps talking.

Rhona leans against the doorframe, arms folded, growing more impatient with every word: she keeps picturing Phyllis, can feel their weekend slipping away.

‘Jimmy?’ she says abruptly, interrupting him mid-sentence.

He looks at her, surprised.

‘I _am_ on leave,’ she hints.

‘Aye, aye of course.’ He frowns but follows her from the room. ‘Are you alright?’ he asks when he’s closed the door.

‘Fine,’ she says shortly. ‘I’d just quite like to get back to my weekend off, if you don’t mind.’

‘I’m sorry. I didn’t realise you had plans.’

‘Aye, well for once I do.’

He studies her as she fills in the paperwork. Yesterday she was full of nervous anticipation and left early; now she’s an odd mixture of tension and happiness. Suddenly something clicks. ‘Have you got company?’ he asks carefully.

Rhona looks at him sharply, hesitates then decides there’s no point hiding it from him and nods.

‘The same person you’ve been visiting down in Glasgow?’ he ventures.

She nods again, eyes back on the page in front of her.

‘Is it serious?’

‘I think it might be,’ she says, a smile playing across her face.

‘Then I really am very sorry I had to drag you in.’

‘She understands.’ Rhona signs the last sheet and passes everything back to him. ‘Anything else?’

‘No, that’s all.’

‘In which case,’ Rhona says, buttoning her jacket and heading for the door, ‘I’ll see you on Monday. And I don’t want to be disturbed for anything less than a murder, you understand?’

Jimmy nods. ‘Enjoy.’

‘Thank you.’

‘What’s her name?’

Rhona pauses with her hand on the door handle and looks at him; her smile is bright and infectious. ‘Phyllis.’

‘I look forward to hearing all about her on Monday,’ he calls after her as she leaves.

*

By the time Rhona’s almost home, the sunshine has been replaced by steel grey clouds, a brisk wind and persistent rain. It doesn’t stop her smiling, though, at the thought of Phyllis waiting for her, and she pulls her coat tight around herself to dash inside.

‘Phyllis?’

When there’s no answer she heads upstairs. Phyllis is huddled in bed reading, swathed in one of Rhona’s oversized wool jumpers, her usually neat hair dishevelled. Rhona pauses on the threshold and smiles fondly.

‘What happened to you?’

‘I went for a walk,’ Phyllis replies grimly, putting down her book. ‘When you warned me about the weather here I think you could perhaps have been a little more explicit, darling.’

Rhona sits on the edge of the bed and reaches for Phyllis’s hand. ‘Sorry.’

‘It’s fine. I just got windswept, frozen and half drowned, that’s all.’ She looks at Rhona, who’s a little damp and ruffled but still near-perfect. ‘How can you look like that in _this_?’ she asks incredulously, nodding towards the window.

‘Practice,’ Rhona teases. ‘But mostly a good coat.’ She leans closer so she can cup her cheek. ‘Still cold?’ she murmurs, almost against Phyllis’s lips.

Phyllis shivers, though more from the whisper of Rhona’s breath across her skin than from any lingering chill. ‘Mmm.’

‘Well we’ll have to do something about that, won’t we?’ She closes the gap between them, kisses Phyllis softly.

The jumper doesn’t stay on for long. Nor do the too-thin cotton pyjamas underneath, or Rhona’s suit. Rhona’s skin against Phyllis’s is far warmer than any wool.

*

Later, Rhona wakes to find herself alone in bed. Phyllis is standing at the window, Rhona’s soft blue robe loose around her body, a dark silhouette against the dimming sky. Rhona comes to stand behind her, arms slipping around her waist.

‘Can’t sleep?’ she murmurs.

‘It’s so quiet.’ Phyllis turns in Rhona’s arms, hands caressing bare skin and drawing her close.

‘Come back to bed?’ Rhona raises her head and looks at Phyllis, who smiles and nods, and kisses her tenderly.

She sheds the robe on the way, only releasing Rhona’s hand long enough to let it drop to the floor.

*          *          *

The next time she visits, Phyllis comes prepared. She still prefers Rhona’s jumper, though, and Rhona’s glad of it: glad of it when Phyllis is there because she looks adorable with it hanging from her slender frame, and glad of it when she isn’t, for the thick grey wool soon smells of her.


End file.
